Author: Onyxsundrops
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters, they belong to Joss and M.E.
Note: The song is 'Hollow' by Tricky.

There didn't seem to be a word to describe the air. Hot? Humid? Alive? The Bronze was packed like any other night, as limbs formed webs across the room. Hands reaching, pulling, pushing, and being tossed freely, all searching for something to hold on to.

The air-conditioning unit was on full blast, but nothing soothed the heated bodies on the dance floor. Self-consciousness melted away as hormones collided, screaming for release and staining the air with frustration.

Green swam in blue, bodies dancing close, in danger of becoming one. Hips swaying, eyes glazing, clothes rubbing, sending frictional waves throughout the body. Fingertips envied the water beads trickling down smooth surfaces as sighs greeted the moans left in the throat.

Tara's hands traced the curve of her girlfriend's spine as she danced to the music, ignoring everything outside of Willow's eyes and touch. Nothing else existed. Not the shadow of envious stares, or inadvertent bumps from bodies moving wildly beside them. Nothing. Nothing but her Willow. The redhead's touch reignited the flames threatening to burn the very core of her soul, and Tara shivered within the heat.

Willow watched her dance partner's eyes close as Tara titled her head back slightly. Revealed to her sight, she kissed the blonde's throat and moaned as if she were tasting the sky. Nibble. Lick. Basking in the vibration of Tara's tremble, she caught a piece of skin lightly between her teeth as the blonde struggled on weak legs. Blowing, Willow cooled the damp flesh and gave the surface another nip before meeting Tara's eyes.

Four familiar mouths hung open, standing out among the rest of the salivating openings.

"What are..." Buffy paused, her thoughts elsewhere as she watched the couple grind slowly. There wasn't any point in continuing, especially since nobody was listening.

"Oh, this is the best birthday ever," Xander mumbled, grinning to himself. Anya's reply was put on hold as she too became entranced by the scene before her. The two people out on the floor resembled nothing of the quiet and clumsy girls that she was so used to.

Faith looked from Buffy, to the dance floor, then back. The need in her eyes was on overdrive when the blonde finally caught the aroused gaze.

"Later." "Bye guys." Their hurried voices whispered in unison before rushing onto the dance floor, hoping to soak up the excess desire floating around the couple.

Noticing the lack of full chairs around the table, Xander finally snapped out of his daydream. Although he wasn't sure if it was the feeling of desertion or Anya, not so gently, pulling him onto the floor that really did it.

Doesn't matter about the time we take
doesn't matter about the lies we make
Go slow

The music changed to something a little more mellow, giving the girls time to catch their breaths. Most of the couples left on the floor didn't dance, unless you count the casual side to side head movements. A blonde and redhead stayed glued to the same spot, not willing or in any hurry to let go as they swayed along.

I think of how you're making me mad
I think of all the love we had
Feel so

Always questioning, never quenching your thirst
Let me die when I lie to you first
I follow

Arms enveloped, bodies pressed firmly together, until even the air was in need of oxygen. Tara's neck fit perfectly with Willow's as her head rested on the redhead's shoulder, prompting Willow to mimic the pose.

When I'm with you, it's from within,
I know you can see through my skin
I'm hollow

I need you to feed me once more
I need you like I needed before
I'll grow

I'm floating I'm flying I'm dying
I'm floating I'm flying I'm dying

Dying. That was how Willow would describe the feeling within Tara's arms. Not the mournful death of grief and loss... no, this was something different. Peaceful. The feeling you get from knowing that if you perished before your next breath, your spirit would linger to exhale. Within the warmth of cradling arms, Willow's life was no longer an unlived dream. Her world was before her, carefully wrapped and decorated with blue gems and smiling lips.

Sighing, she cleared her mind and lost herself.

Eventually, the crowd began to dwindle and many of the partygoers drifted off. Some went in search of conversation, while others went of looking for different forms of interaction.

"Where's Anya?" Xander asked as they regrouped at the table. Faith shared a secret look with Buffy; Willow shared a smile with Tara, and Xander shared a frown with himself.

"Hey folks," the Bronze manager held a hand up, quieting the audience. "We have an announcement." Just as the words left his mouth, Anya had confiscated the microphone.

She grinned down at her petrified boyfriend before gesturing toward the back. "Hit it," she yelled to one of the men working the equipment. With his cheeks fiery from embarrassment, Xander squirmed in his seat as the theme music began.

"Happy birthday to you...," Anya began, and swayed as the others joined in. Even people who didn't know the young man began cheering and singing along.

As Xander continued staring in amazement, embarrassment and pride at his girlfriend, Buffy took the opportunity to quickly strap a clown hat to his head. Smiling childishly, Xander's grin grew upon noticing the cake placed in front of him. Some of the icing had melted, but it was still edible, and his heart swelled even more.

"...dear Xander." The song drew near its end, "Happy birthday to you."

"And many more...," several voices continued and Anya just couldn't resist.

"...orgasms." She snuck in, giggling as she scrambled off the stage. She was greeted with a kiss as Xander literally swung her up in his arms.

It seemed as if everyone was 'making with the smoochies,' as Willow had sometimes called it. Buffy and Faith were also locked into an intense... lip-lock, and not wanting to be left-out, Tara's mouth found what it sought.

"Hey, you girls up for a game of pool?" Xander asked as he collected the colorful balls. A quick glance around showed that Buffy, Faith, and Anya were chatting at the table nearby. Well, Anya was talking and the new couple was using the systematic approach to obliviousness: Nodding and smiling.

"How about it?" Tara asked her girlfriend. Willow shrugged, smiling as she nodded.

"Great," Xander handed the redhead the other cue, "want to throw in a friendly wager?"

"Oh no," Willow shook her head fiercely, "I might as well give you my money now, since I have no idea what I'm doing anyway."

"I'll bet." Willow looked surprisingly at her girlfriend. Tara shrugged, never losing the lopsided smile on her face.

They started off with a small amount as Xander motioned for Willow to go first. "Don't worry," Tara placed a reassuring hand on her back, "I'll help you." She said after noticing the lost expression on her partner's face.

Nodding, Willow leaned into the table, but couldn't quite get her finger position right.

"Here." Tara moved in, gently draping herself over Willow's body. Her left hand slid down the redhead's arm until it rested against her fingers. Her breath tickled Willow's neck, causing her fingers to fumble and slip further down the stick.

Once Tara had fixed the placement, she didn't move from behind Willow, but ran her other hand up until it settled on a slender hip. Willow shot, missing every ball, but didn't seem to care as she melted into the blonde.

"Do you know what you're doing to me?" She whispered, hoarsely. Briefly thinking back to lunch, Tara grinned.

"I know exactly what I'm doing to you." The words were more of a groan than a sentence. She pressed further into the radiating body until she didn't know where she began and ended.

"Ladies, ladies," Xander paused before taking his turn, "I'm all for the girly lovin', but it's a little distracting."

"Sorry," Tara smiled, sheepishly. She wanted nothing more than to make love to Willow right there on the fuzzy, green table, but she quickly got herself in check. She stepped away from the redhead, but not before getting another swipe across a goose-bumped arm. Willow shot an invisible dagger toward Xander's head, but it, unfortunately, missed as he leaned in for his turn.

After several missed shots and flying balls, Tara and Willow eventually forfeited, leaving Xander to his winnings. A whole, shiny quarter.

"Are you okay?" Tara asked as she and Willow collected their drinks from the bar.

"Yeah. It was all the dancing." Willow finished sipping from her bottled water. "I'm just... all hot and sticky and in desperate need of a shower now," she admitted, fanning herself with a napkin.

"Hmm, I must be biased, because I happen to like you hot and sticky." Tara added in a low, sultry tone, "And I love it when you dance. It makes me want you so bad."

"Oh, really?" Willow asked with a sly smile. She took both her and Tara's drink and placed them on a random table. "Well then, let's go make you want me more." She grinned, taking the blonde's hand and leading her toward the floor.

'Goodbye's' were shouted as the group split up for the night around eleven o'clock. The four remaining girls packed into Willow's car, all heading for the same destination.

"Fun night?" Willow asked, flashing a smile in the rearview window at her friends. Tara sat beside her, her rotating fingers making grooves on the redhead's leg.

"Best night." Buffy replied from the backseat and leaned into Faith's shoulder. "We should all do this again. Many, many times." She grinned, happily.

"Definitely," Faith nodded, sharing her girlfriend's idea. Placing a kiss against Buffy's forehead, they both relaxed into a comfortable position. The blonde shifted a little, realizing that she was half sitting on something.

"Hey, isn't this mine?" She pulled the mixed CD from under her thigh. "I've been looking all over for it. Where'd you find it?"

Tara chuckled lightly, watching the expression on Willow's face. "Oh, uh," the redhead searched for what to say, and 'I hid it from you' was not the best answer.

"I found it," Tara cut in, turning to briefly face the other blonde, "you must've left it in here without knowing," she fibbed innocently. Buffy frowned, but seemed to believe it and shrugged as she stuffed the CD into her purse.

Willow smiled in relief and softly gripped the hand on her leg as the car pulled into the driveway.

Whispers were barely heard as the group made their way inside the house. "We're going to call it a night," Buffy announced. She wasn't tired, but the prospect of making out with the brunette beside her was enough to send her to bed early. Before a reply was heard, two pairs of legs had already disappeared from the top of the stairs.

Tara watched them go and met the fixated gaze of two beautiful green eyes. Willow skipped working her way up to it as her mouth pressed firmly to Tara's. She usually wasn't as urgent, but her body was still buzzing from their last dance. An aroused sort of greediness overtook her. Almost as if she were starving and wanting nothing more than to feast on the blonde. Inch by inch.

Tara feebly reached for the banister next to her. She feared breathing, not wanting to lose the texture of Willow's lips against hers. Panting, mouths slowly pulled apart, leaving bits of skin clinging together before releasing.

With as much effort as possible, Willow backed away, stepping two steps up. Hearing faint music from Buffy's room, she took two more steps up the stairs. "So, how about that shower?"

The husky question reached Tara's ears as she watched her girlfriend slowly stepping backward up the stairs. A confused frown worked its way to the middle of her eyebrows. Was Willow actually planning on leaving her? More importantly, was she really going to leave her so...

A light vest flying through the air quickly brought the blonde back to her surroundings.

"Oh." Was all Tara could say as another article of clothing flew down the stairs, landing at her feet.

Willow kept a watchful eye on Buffy's door as she threw her shirt down. She'd never live it down if Buffy or Faith happened to walk out at that particular moment. She heard an 'oh' from the bottom of the stairs and hoped that Tara understood what she was getting at.

When her girlfriend still hadn't moved, she took a breath and braved the cold as she tossed down her bra.

It was only when a silk purple bra landed on her shoulder that it finally clicked for Tara. Ascending the stairs, she caught sight of her shivering girlfriend, standing in half her glory and felt all thought leave her mind. Willow smiled, seductively, as she continued her journey backward and into the bathroom with Tara following every step of the way.